The following description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
In the construction industry, an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) project refers to the task of (i) designing a structure or facility, (ii) procuring the materials necessary to build the facility, and (iii) building the facility, either directly or indirectly using subcontractors. For large EPC projects, such as the construction of a large oil refining complex or an upstream process facility, it is becoming more and more common to modularize the assembly and construction process in order to reduce on-site work. For example, in the case of a refining complex, the facility can be constructed by building “modules” (e.g., sub-structures or smaller structural units) off-site at a “module yard.” The modules are then transported to the construction site and assembled with other modules to complete the construction project. Modularizing an EPC project can reduce field labor costs and improve process efficiency by allowing different module yards to specialize in specific construction/assembly techniques.
Modularization of EPC projects is discussed in further detail in co-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/971365, filed on Dec. 17, 2010. This and all other referenced extrinsic materials are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Where a definition or use of a term in a reference that is incorporated by reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein is deemed to be controlling.
For some EPC projects, a “module” can comprise a piece of equipment or machinery (e.g., centrifugal pump, driver motor, etc.) mounted on a baseplate, the baseplate being supported by a support structure (e.g., steel I-beams, frame structure, etc.), as shown in FIG. 1. In conventional modular EPC methods, the baseplate is rigidly coupled with the steel beam, such as by welding or using anchor bolts.
One problem that can arise during a modular EPC project is the deflection and warping of the baseplate (e.g., bending, torsional twisting, etc.) caused during transportation of the module from the module yard to the project site by rail or by land. FIG. 1 illustrates the deflection of a baseplate during transportation. The deflection of the baseplate is caused by several factors including the sag of the support structure (due to the support structure's own weight and the impact loads or shock loads due to uneven road surface, or potholes in the road that are encountered during transportation). If the baseplate deflects past a certain limit, called its elastic limit, the baseplate will likely warp, causing the machinery mounting pedestals to distort. A warped baseplate will then need to be repaired, replaced, and/or machined at the project site, which can be very costly and time consuming.
Another related problem is the possible deflection of, and permanent damage to, expensive equipment and machinery (e.g., deflection of coupled shaft ends). Again, this may require repair at the project site, which will increase costs and delay deadlines.
Thus, there is still a need for devices and processes that improve the modularization of EPC projects by reducing and/or eliminating the risk of baseplate warping.